Archives for January 2014

When I first started this blog, I wanted to be anonymous – just a girl known as “The Good Groupie” who wrote about the bands she loved, the shows she went to and why she loved music. I kept my real name off everything and never posted a photo of myself. But I’ve slowly changed that over the past four years, and the longer I’ve been at this, the more I realize what a huge mistake it would have been to stay anonymous.

Because if you’re here reading this, there’s a good chance you’re the same type of music fan as me: simply flipping on the radio and zoning out won’t do. You want your music to be something more than noise filling a quiet room, car, etc. It needs to mean something. The lyrics need to rip your heart out. The power of the music needs to kick you in the gut from time to time. You need to be able to connect with it.

And you need to be able to connect with people who understand music in the same way as you.

So today I thought I’d offer up a few tidbits about the girl behind this blog and myself as a music fan. If you’ve poked around here, you’ve gotten to know me on my About page and might have read why I started The Good Groupie. But here’s a few fun (and funny) facts about Miranda, the music fan:

I’m one of those annoying tall people at concerts.At 5’11, how could I not be? So 90 percent of the time, you’ll find me at the back of the audience or on the fringes of the crowd but still dancing and singing along like I’m in the front row.

My favorite music venues in the world are Trees in Dallas & Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.I’ve seen all my favorite bands between these two venues, and they both feel like my musical home whenever I return.

Best college elective I took was “History of Rock N Roll”.Naturally, I got an A. I learned a TON of cool stuff and found lots of biographies and history of rock books to read as a result. Only complaint – and take this with a grain of salt: we spent way too much time on The Beatles (an entire month’s worth of classes – an ETERNITY in college time!) and not enough time on the 70s and 80s. And on that note…

I kinda totally hate mainstream 80s music.Too many synthesizers – it all sounds electronic and overproduced and not like music to me. But give me any album by The Smiths, The Cure or Talking Heads and I’m happy.

My favorite book about music is “How To Kill a Rock Star” by Tiffanie DeBartolo.It’s about a girl who moves to NYC to write for her fave music magazine and ends up falling in love with the lead singer in her brother’s band. That’s a way oversimplified synopsis, but the reason I love it is because of how their relationship builds through their mutual, genuine love of music.

I’ve seen Hanson live more than 30 times.Across 6 different states and 11 different cities in the past 17 years. And yeah, they’ve played “MMMBop” at every single last one, much to my dismay. For about the first 10 shows, I went for the music. After that, it was because of the amazing friends I made, and I wouldn’t trade those 32 shows for anything because they introduced me to and solidified my friendships with “the girls.”

The fictional music fan I most admire is Lane Kim.AKA Rory’s best friend from Gilmore Girls. Her encyclopedic knowledge of rock n roll, not to mention her under-the-floorboards album collection, is incredible. And her reference in season 7 to Pretty Girls Make Graves breaking up – which baffled the band – still makes my heart happy every time I hear it. They were so young, Lane.

I was front row at every single Phantom Planet show I attended.Even the one in Oklahoma that was in the middle of a field as a bad thunderstorm bared down on us. They were all some of the very best live shows I’ve ever seen.

I never wanted to be Penny Lane in “Almost Famous” – always William.How incredible would it be to tag along with a band you love, experience life on the road and write about it for Rolling Stone? That’s about a million times better than getting your heart broken by a singer who pawns you off on another band for a case of beer. Just sayin’…

I’ve saved nearly every wristband ever placed around my wrist.Y’know, the neon colored ones that easily code you as either being under or of drinking age. Why? I honestly have no idea. I had no plan for them. I just kept saving them, along with show posters, set lists I snagged, a few guitar picks and even some of the prettier hotel card keys I’ve acquired on my musical adventures.

My dream job is to be a drummer in an all girl band.But I can’t get my hands and feet to go at the same time when I try to play. Plus…there’s a reason girl bands don’t survive – we’re too competitive and jealous for our own good. So this one remains just a dream…

Every season has a sound. Spring is a time for new music discovery. Summer is full of lighthearted lyrics and pop/rock anthems to blare in the car. Fall leads to darker lyrics and a heavier sound, and winter is for quiet songs.

About two months ago, I decided to start working on a winter playlist because I found myself craving quiet, acoustic music as the days got shorter and the weather more dreary. Nothing special – just a collection of songs I deemed winter-appropriate, and today I thought I’d share the playlist with you.

Feel free to follow this playlist – I’m sure I’ll continue adding to it until I’m in the mood for some peppier songs.

What are your favorite winter tunes?
You can also share some of yours with me in the comments or come find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Listening to a winter wonderland of music,

P.S. I missed posting it, but you can also give my December 2013playlist a listen.